Uğur İşik

Born in 1964 in Istanbul, Uğur İşik graduated from Istanbul Technical University, State Conservatory of Classical Turkish Music in 1985. Upon passing the Graduated Strings Instrumentalist Examination administered by the State Radio, he started performing at the Radio of Istanbul as cellist. In 1992 he joined the group Bosphorus, who played Classical Turkish Music. Anadolu Feneri, Sarband, Sultan's Minstrels and Ince Saz are among the groups with whom he travelled many times around the globe and performed, contributing his cello as well as lute and bass kemençe. His music is constantly in demand for CD compilations and film and documentary soundtracks, the latest addition being the soundtrack of The Last Ottomans, a documentary by the renowned Turkish historian Murat Bardakci. The Last Ottomans and a soundtrack of "Snow", a Canadian production by Hakan Sahin. Besides his collaborative work, Isik released his first solo album Cello Unveils Anatolian Spirit, where he carried the cello beyond the boundries of its usage in classical Western music, interpreting pieces from various subcultures inhabiting Anatolia. He performed his concerts in Amsterdam and Rotterdam (under the scope of TurkeyNow Festival), Den Haag and Antwerpen in 2007. On his second album "Cello Invocations" which was released on May, 2008, he added his own soul and techniques to the common point of all religions, music. Still continuing his work at the State Radio, he carries on these works.